


Vitula

by alistoney



Series: Flash Bang Bingo (team orange) [13]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Musicians, Street Musician, classical music nerds, flutist Alec, violinist Magnus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-22
Updated: 2018-04-22
Packaged: 2019-04-26 14:19:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14403918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alistoney/pseuds/alistoney
Summary: Alec vaguely registers that he’s standing in the middle of the sidewalk and blocking people’s path but he can’t stop staring.He’s beautiful. Not just because he’s outwardly gorgeous, but because of the way his eyes slip closed whenever he crescendos and the way his body seems to move fluidly to the music he’s creating.Or the one where Alec becomes particualarily enamored with a street violinistWritten for the Sh Hiatus Flash Bang BingoSquare: Musicians AU (Orange Team)





	Vitula

**Author's Note:**

> The title for this is the Latin word for stringed instrument which is where the name for the violin came from :) 
> 
> This happened entirely because [astudyinfic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/astudyinfic/pseuds/astudyinfic) sent me a video of a street violinist and it was amazing 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Alec thinks he’s imagining it at first. He is on his way home from a three hour rehearsal, he wouldn’t put it past himself to be hearing music in his head.

He snaps his head up anyways and stops in his tracks when he notices a man standing on the side of the sidewalk.

He’s gorgeous, dark hair and dark eyes lined with kohl. Legs covered in jeans that hug his calves just right and a shirt that has one too many buttons open for it to be appropriate.

That’s not what he notices first though. What he notices first are the long painted fingers that hold a violin under his chin.

Alec vaguely registers that he’s standing in the middle of the sidewalk and blocking people’s path but he can’t stop staring.

He’s beautiful. Not just because he’s outwardly gorgeous, but because of the way his eyes slip closed whenever he crescendos and the way his body seems to move fluidly to the music he’s creating.

Alec watches, mesmerized, as the bow slides across the strings and the familiar notes of Spring from Vivaldi’s 4 Seasons pour out into the night air.

Alec has heard the piece more than a dozen times, hell he’s _played_ it a dozen times and listened to multiple professional violinists play the solo. Somehow this man is better than them all.

It’s not that he’s technically better, Alec can tell he’s not classically trained but that doesn’t matter. It’s the way that Alec can tell the man is enjoying it. That he can tell he’s playing the music purely for himself. It ignites something in his heart that Alec can’t explain even if he tried.

When the man finishes the piece, Alec is still standing in the same spot he had been when he’d stopped in his tracks.

The man, who hadn’t paid him any mind while playing, turns to him with a smirk that has his heart leaping in chest.

Without thinking Alec smiles and begins to clap. The man looks surprised for a moment before he grins and takes an exaggerated bow.

Alec expects him to play something else. Or maybe even pack up but instead he walks up to Alec and sticks out the hand not holding his instrument.

“I’m Magnus Bane, and you are?”

Alec stares at the hand a second before he realizes that he should probably shake it.

“Alec Lightwood, he says as he slips his hand into Magnus’, watching the way the long fingers wrap around his hand.

“Vivaldi, Spring,” Alec says when he pulls his hand away and then mentally slaps himself. Of course Magnus knows that, he was _literally_ just playing it.

Magnus’ eyes light up at that and he takes a step closer.

“You’re a classical music fan?”

Alec holds up his own bag where his flute case is peeking out and grins.

“You could say that.”

Magnus’ eyes light up even brighter at that and he tilts his heads consideringly and moves even closer. Alec can feel the warmth of his body and has to suppress a shiver.

“Do you play with an orchestra or something?”

Alec pushes his hair out of his eyes if only so he has something to do with his hands.

“Yeah, um, I’m in the New York Philharmonic actually.”

“Impressive Alexander Lightwood,” Magnus says with a genuinely impressed smile. Alec’s skin warms at the sound of his full name coming from Magnus’ mouth.

“How did you know that was my name?”

“Lucky guess.”

***  
After the first night, Alec starts walking the street he’d seen Magnus on everyday, even if he doesn’t have rehearsal and it is nowhere near the direction he needed to be going.

Every night, Magnus is there and he is playing the violin in the same enrapturing way that he always does.

Every night, Alec stares at long fingers and bright eyes as music curls into the New York night.

On one such day Alec makes it to the stretch of sidewalk to find Magnus playing something different than usual.

He vaguely recognizes the melody as something he’s heard on the radio once or twice.

It’s different, not something Alec would usually have liked. He’s always leaned more towards classical music rather than pop, but the way Magnus is playing almost makes him change his mind.

The violin cascades over a bass track that’s being played on a speaker next to him and Alec is enthralled.

He’s standing next to the bench on the sidewalk to watch, like he’s been doing ever since the first day that he came back to watch and is surprised when Magnus moves from his usual spot on the sidewalk and jumps onto the bench.

He’s much closer now and Alec holds his breath as Magnus leans close to his shoulder and smirks.

His playing doesn’t falter at all and Alec can’t stop an amazed smile from creeping its way across his face.

The track coming from the speakers quiets down and Alec watches Magnus slide fluidly down to sit on the bench and start plucking at the strings of the violin rather than using the bow.

He sends silly grins Alec’s way with every note and Alec laughs at the sight. Magnus looks like he’s having the time of his life.

There’s a short rest after the plucking where Magnus stands and touches his bow to Alec’s cheek for a half second, a moment so short that Alec almost believes he’d dreamed the touch.

But then Magnus is winking at him and bringing the bow back to the violin and Alec is blushing a dark red that he can’t do anything to stop.

When the song ends Alec stands there dumbfounded for a moment.

When Magnus doesn’t make to play anything else Alec realizes that he’s silently waiting for his commentary.

Somehow in the past week or so that Alec has been coming to watch Magnus play they’ve fallen into a sort of rhythm where Alec ends up raving on and on -rather embarrassingly- about how amazing Magnus plays after every song.

He can’t think of anything to say right now though, so all that comes out is a breathless “Wow,” that has Magnus grinning a smile so bright Alec almost has to look away.

“I was running out of classical pieces to play.” Magnus explains, stepping closer to Alec. He look up at him through his eyelashes and Alec is struck not for the first time by how unfairly beautiful he is, “got any suggestions.”

Alec contemplates the question a moment before a grin spreads across his face. He does have a favorite violin piece after all.

“Csárdás, Monti.”

Magnus’ eyes light up in recognition, and Alec falls a little bit in love. Gorgeous, plays the violin, and likes Vittorio Monti. What more could Alec ask for?

“Good choice.”

***  
When it’s been two weeks since Alec stumbled upon Magnus, he finds a piece in the piles of sheet music he has lying around that makes him immediately think of Magnus.

He stuffs it into his bag without thinking about it.

That night when he goes to watch Magnus he the sheet music is still tucked into his bag and his heart thuds nervously in his chest.

He doesn’t know whether this is a good idea, if Magnus will even want to.

When he gets there Magnus is finishing up a piece. He plays the last note and then turns to Alec with a smile, nodding to acknowledge him and then brings his violin up to his chin presumably to start another song.

Alec puts a hand up to stop him, ignoring the nervous energy that starts to run through his body.

Magnus quirks an eyebrow in question and Alec pulls the sheet music out and hands it to him.

“A request,” he says nodding down at the music, not quite meeting Magnus’ eyes as he says it.

Magnus grins a bright smile before looking down at the music with genuine interest and it calms Alec’s nerves a bit.

When Magnus looks back up at him his eyes hold a question.

“Alexander, this is a duet.”

Alec’s nerves come back full force but he manages to nod and smile slightly.

“I know.”

Magnus looks like he’s going to say something else but Alec cuts him off.

“Just trust me.”

***  
The next day when Alec arrives at the now familiar stretch of sidewalk he’s thrumming with energy. Magnus just gives him a slight nod when he sees him and starts the duet.

He starts the piece with one voice when there should be two and Alec can tell Magnus is still confused as to why Alec asked him to play it.

Alec takes a deep breath before he drops his bag onto the bench beside Magnus.

Magnus sends him a confused look but keeps playing his part of the duet.

Alec maintains the eye contact as he pulls out his flute and pieces it together, the same excitement that always runs through him before a performance seeping under his skin.

He can pinpoint the exact moment Magnus realizes what Alec is doing because he falters  
for a half second before composing himself and a wide grin stretches across his face.

Alec steps next to him and waits for Magnus to finish the phrase he’s on before starting to play.

The way they sound together sends an unexpected jolt down his spine and Alec can tell Magnus feels it too when they turn to face each other. Magnus is looking at him with wide eyes, awe raw and open on his face.

They move in sync, the sound of their respective instruments melding as if they’ve been playing together for years. It feels right in a way that Alec didn’t even know was possible.

When they play the last note and lower their instruments Alec suddenly notices how close they’ve gotten as the piece progressed, and proceeds to lose his breath entirely at the way Magnus looks up at him.

The sound of their last note still echoes in the night and the moonlight casts spidery shadows across Magnus’ cheekbones. Alec is frozen in the beauty of the moment.

“You never cease to amaze me, Alexander,” Magnus whispers so softly that Alec wouldn’t have been able to hear it if he wasn’t standing so close to him.

He barely has time to process Magnus’ words before a hand is fisted in his shirt and he’s being pulled forwards.

Their lips are an inch away when Magnus freezes and looks up at him through his eyelashes with a soft sort of smile that makes Alec’s insides melt.

“I’m going to kiss you now if that’s okay.”

Alec obviously knew that was what was going to happen, but having it said out loud makes his heart beat hard in his chest and a grin break out on his face.

“That is very much okay,” he says quickly, “so okay that-“

He doesn’t finish his sentence because there’s suddenly soft lips on his and Alec can’t think of anything other than the curve of Magnus lips and the feel of fingers on his waist.

They pull apart after a long moment and just stare at each other.

Alec can still hear the echo of the music they’d created together in the wind and thinks that this could be the start of something extraordinary.

**Author's Note:**

> [Spring](https://youtu.be/aFHPRi0ZeXE)  
> [Pop song Magnus played](https://youtu.be/nPIhkOE8EnI)  
> [Csárdás](https://youtu.be/IPYHy8k9Z34)  
> [Alec and Magnus' duet](https://youtu.be/JG6MgDpQ0po)  
>  Comments and Kudos Appreciated!! Hope you liked it!


End file.
